Consumer Guide — Florida Families
How to Read a Funeral Home General Price List (And What to Watch Out For)
Federal law requires every funeral home to publish a General Price List. Most families have never seen one before — here is what every line item means and what separates a transparent provider from one that is not.
View Our Full General Price List →Most people arrange funeral or cremation services only once or twice in their lives — under emotional stress, with very little time, and with no prior experience navigating the pricing. That is exactly the environment in which unclear or misleading pricing does the most damage.
The federal government recognized this decades ago and passed the FTC Funeral Rule specifically to protect consumers. At AM Cremation & Funeral Care, we believe an informed family is a family we can genuinely serve — so this guide explains every aspect of funeral home pricing you need to understand before making a decision. For our complete overview of cremation services in Florida, see our Complete Florida Cremation Guide.
1. What a General Price List Is and Why It Exists
A General Price List (GPL) is a written document listing the prices for all goods and services a funeral home offers. Every licensed funeral home in the United States is required by federal law to maintain a current GPL and to provide it to anyone who asks — in person, by mail, or online.
The GPL came about because the funeral industry was historically prone to pricing opacity at its worst. Families in the immediate aftermath of a loss were presented with package prices and bundled offerings without clear information about what individual components cost, making comparison shopping nearly impossible and overcharging easy to conceal.
The FTC Funeral Rule changed that. Today, a funeral home that fails to provide a GPL upon request, charges prices higher than those on the GPL, or requires the purchase of goods or services not wanted is in violation of federal law and subject to FTC enforcement.
You do not have to be arranging a funeral to ask for a GPL. You can request one from any funeral home at any time — in person or by phone — and they are required to provide it. Comparing GPLs from multiple providers before a death occurs is one of the most practical things you can do in pre-planning. Our complete General Price List is published openly on our website.
2. Your Rights Under the FTC Funeral Rule
The FTC Funeral Rule (16 CFR Part 453) gives consumers specific, enforceable rights when dealing with any funeral home:
- The right to receive a GPL. Any funeral home must give you a GPL when you inquire about funeral arrangements in person. They must also provide it by mail or delivery if you request it.
- The right to itemize. You have the right to choose only the specific goods and services you want. A funeral home cannot require you to buy a package when you want individual items.
- The right to bring your own container. For cremation, you are entitled to use a container you provide, as long as it meets the crematory’s requirements. The funeral home must accept it.
- The right to decline embalming. Embalming is not required by Florida law except in specific circumstances. If you select a direct cremation or immediate burial, you have the right to decline embalming.
- The right to accurate information. A funeral home cannot tell you that embalming is required by law when it is not, or misrepresent what is legally required for any service.
- The right to a written statement. Before any arrangements are finalized, you must be given a written itemized statement of all goods and services selected and their prices.
3. The Key Line Items Explained
Here is what the major categories on a funeral home GPL actually mean — using our own pricing as the example, since it is publicly available and fully itemized.
Basic services of the funeral director and staff
Basic Services of Funeral Director and Staff
$1,975 at AM Cremation
This is the foundational fee that every funeral home charges to cover overhead, staff availability 24/7, administrative work, coordination with third parties, and the basic logistics of managing a case from the first call through final disposition. Crucially: this fee is already included in the price of every direct cremation, immediate burial, and forwarding or receiving package we offer — it is not an addition on top. It is worth noting that our package pricing reflects a significant discount from the full itemized basic services fee; families who select one of our cremation packages benefit from that discount built into the package price. Some providers list the basic services fee as a separate add-on to make base prices look lower — see Section 4.
Removal / transfer of remains
Transfer of Remains from Place of Death
$450 at AM Cremation
This is the charge for dispatching a removal team to transport the deceased from the place of death to the funeral home. Our standard itemized removal fee is $450. A discounted rate of $250 within a 50-mile radius applies when selected in conjunction with one of our cremation packages — it is not available as a standalone itemized charge. Additional charges may apply for locations outside our standard service area, after-hours calls requiring extended travel, or situations where the transfer requires additional personnel or specialized equipment. We discuss any applicable additional fees openly before proceeding. This fee is almost always listed separately from the cremation package price and is one of the most commonly omitted figures when providers quote a headline price — always ask for the total including removal before comparing providers.
Embalming
Embalming
$975 / $1,175 (special care) at AM Cremation
Embalming is the chemical preservation of the body, typically used when a public viewing is planned. Our standard embalming fee is $975. A higher rate of $1,175 applies for special care embalming required for autopsied remains, which involves additional time, materials, and skill. Embalming is not required by Florida law for direct cremation or immediate burial — families who select direct cremation or a closed-casket service generally do not need it. If a provider includes embalming in a package without asking whether it is wanted or needed, that is worth questioning.
Direct cremation
Direct Cremation (with alternative container)
$1,345 standard at AM Cremation
This is the GPL price for direct cremation — the foundational disposition service. Our GPL lists this at $1,345. Our Simple Cremation Package at $945 (prompt pay) is our discounted package price that includes additional items such as one death certificate, SSA notification, and an urn, and reflects our prompt-pay discount. The GPL price and the package price are related but different — understand which one you are being quoted.
Forwarding and receiving of remains
Forwarding Remains to Another Funeral Home
$1,995 at AM Cremation
When a deceased person needs to be transported to another state or another funeral home, the originating funeral home charges a forwarding fee. This covers removal, basic staff services, required authorizations, embalming for transport, and local transportation. It does not include shipping charges or a shipping container. Our receiving fee (when we accept remains from another funeral home) is $1,595.
Caskets and alternative containers
Caskets / Alternative Containers
$75–$558 (alt. containers) / $756–$2,649 (caskets) at AM Cremation
Alternative containers are simpler enclosures used for cremation — typically fiberboard or unfinished wood. Every GPL must list the price of alternative containers. Casket prices must also be provided in a separate casket price list. The FTC Funeral Rule prohibits funeral homes from refusing to use a casket or container purchased elsewhere, charging a handling fee for third-party caskets, or misrepresenting that a casket purchased elsewhere cannot be used.
Urns and keepsake items
Urns / Keepsake Jewelry
$15–$500 (urns) / $50–$500 (keepsakes) at AM Cremation
Urns and keepsake items are optional additions. Every package we offer includes at minimum a basic polymer urn. Upgraded urns and keepsake jewelry are available at additional cost. A funeral home is required to provide pricing for these items upon request. You are never required to purchase an urn from the funeral home — you may supply your own or purchase one elsewhere.
4. Red Flags to Watch Out For
GPL not available online or requires you to call for pricing
A reputable funeral home publishes its GPL openly. If a provider will not share pricing without first getting you on the phone or into their office, that is a deliberate barrier to comparison shopping. While the FTC Funeral Rule only requires in-person provision, any provider committed to transparency publishes pricing where you can see it before you call.
Basic services fee listed separately on top of the direct cremation price
The FTC Funeral Rule requires that the basic services fee be included in the price of direct cremation and immediate burial — it cannot be added on top as a separate charge for these services. If a provider quotes you a $795 direct cremation and then adds a $1,500 basic services fee, the real price is $2,295 — not $795. Our basic services fee of $1,975 is fully included in our direct cremation prices.
Removal fee not disclosed upfront
The removal fee is one of the most commonly buried costs in funeral home pricing. Providers who advertise a very low direct cremation price often quote that price without the removal fee, then add it later. Always ask: “What is the total cost including removal from [location]?” Our discounted removal fee of $250 is disclosed clearly on our website and in every arrangement.
Misrepresentation of legal requirements
Telling a family that embalming is required by law when it is not, or that a specific type of casket is legally required, is a violation of the FTC Funeral Rule. If a provider tells you something is legally required that seems unusual, ask them to cite the specific Florida statute. Our licensed directors will always accurately represent what the law requires and what is optional.
Third-party cremation not disclosed
Some funeral homes that advertise cremation services do not own a crematory and contract the actual cremation to a third party. This is not inherently wrong, but it should be disclosed — particularly because it affects chain of custody and quality control. AM Cremation & Funeral Care owns and operates our own crematory in Palmetto. Your loved one never leaves our care.
Price not honored at time of arrangement
A GPL is a legal commitment to pricing. If a funeral home charges more at the time of arrangement than what is listed on the GPL, that is a violation of the FTC Funeral Rule. Always get a written statement of goods and services with itemized prices before signing anything.
5. Signs of a Trustworthy Provider
GPL published openly online with no barriers
A transparent provider publishes their full, current GPL on their website where any family can review it before making contact. Our complete General Price List is available at amcremations.com/pricing — updated as of March 2026.
All fees disclosed upfront including removal and ME fees
A trustworthy provider tells you about the removal fee and the county Medical Examiner fee before you ask — because these are real costs your family will pay. We list both on our pricing page and discuss them in the first arrangement call.
Basic services fee included in direct cremation prices
As required by the FTC Funeral Rule, our basic services fee is already incorporated into our direct cremation and package pricing. There is no separate addition for this fee when you select a direct cremation.
Licensed crematory ownership disclosed
AM Cremation & Funeral Care owns and operates our own licensed crematory in Palmetto, FL. We disclose this openly because it is important to families — your loved one remains in our care throughout the entire process.
Professional association membership
Membership in organizations such as the Cremation Association of North America (CANA), the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA), and the Independent Funeral Directors of Florida (IFDF) signals a commitment to professional standards and ongoing education. AM Cremation & Funeral Care is a proud member of all three.
6. How Our General Price List Is Structured
Our GPL is organized into the major categories the FTC Funeral Rule requires, plus the additional items and services we offer. Here is a plain-language summary of how to read it:
- Basic services fee ($1,975): Already included in all direct cremation, immediate burial, forwarding, and receiving prices. Not an addition on top.
- Preparation of the body: Embalming, dressing, cosmetology, refrigeration. All itemized separately so you pay only for what is needed.
- Staff and facilities: Charges for use of facilities and staff for memorial services, viewings, and graveside services at outside locations — since we do not hold public services at our facility.
- Transportation: Removal fee, airport transfers, hearse, delivery of cremated remains. All itemized by distance and service type.
- Direct cremation prices: Four options based on the container provided, from a container you supply to an unfinished wood box.
- Cremation packages: Our six packages — Simple, Veteran Simple, Expedited Simple, Premium, Veteran Premium, and Private Family Goodbye — each with full inclusions listed.
- Immediate burial prices: Three options for families who prefer burial without a formal service.
- Ancillary items: Caskets, alternative containers, outer burial containers, urns, keepsake jewelry, rental casket, stationery, and miscellaneous services — all individually priced.
- Additional fees: Insurance assignment fee, estate filing fee, rush cremation, witness cremation, obituary composition, death certificate copies, shipping of cremated remains — all disclosed and itemized.
- Pre-need arrangements: If you would like to lock in today’s prices and have everything in place before a death occurs, visit our Plan Ahead page.
Read our full General Price List online — no phone call required.
Every price, every fee, completely transparent.
View GPL →
7. How to Compare Two Providers Accurately
Comparing funeral home pricing is not as simple as comparing two headline numbers. Here is how to do it accurately:
Step 1: Get the GPL from both providers
Request the full GPL — not just the package price — from every provider you are considering. The GPL is the legally binding document. Package prices are derived from it.
Step 2: Identify the true total for the service you want
For a direct cremation in Manatee County, the true total includes: the direct cremation or package price + removal fee + county Medical Examiner fee + any additional death certificates needed. Do not compare just the package price — compare the realistic total your family will pay. See our Manatee County cremation cost guide for a real-world breakdown of exactly what families pay.
Step 3: Check whether the basic services fee is included
Ask each provider: “Is the basic services fee included in your direct cremation price, or is it added on top?” The answer will tell you a great deal about pricing transparency.
Step 4: Ask who performs the cremation
Ask whether the funeral home owns its own crematory or contracts to a third party. There is no right or wrong answer, but you deserve to know.
Step 5: Verify the license status
Any Florida funeral home and crematory can be verified on the Florida Department of Financial Services website. This takes two minutes and confirms the provider is currently licensed and in good standing. You can also learn more about AM Cremation & Funeral Care’s licensing, certifications, and professional associations on our About page.
Our complete General Price List is effective as of March 3, 2026 and is subject to change. We update it in compliance with the FTC Funeral Rule. For questions about any line item or to receive a written itemized statement for a specific arrangement, call us at (941) 212-1093 any time.
8. Frequently Asked Questions
Is a funeral home required to publish its prices online?
The FTC Funeral Rule requires funeral homes to provide their GPL to anyone who inquires in person, and to mail or deliver it upon request. It does not technically require online publication — but any provider committed to transparency publishes it openly. We publish our complete GPL at amcremations.com/pricing. If a provider will only give you pricing during an arrangement conference, that should prompt questions.
Can a funeral home require me to buy a package?
No. Under the FTC Funeral Rule, you have the right to choose only the specific goods and services you want. A funeral home may offer packages but cannot require you to purchase one. If you want only certain items, you are entitled to purchase only those items at their itemized GPL prices. We offer both packages and fully itemized individual services.
What is the basic services fee and is it always charged?
The basic services fee covers a funeral home’s overhead, 24/7 staff availability, administrative coordination, and basic logistics. Under the FTC Funeral Rule, it is charged on every arrangement — but it must be included in the price of direct cremation, immediate burial, and forwarding or receiving services rather than added on top. At AM Cremation & Funeral Care, our basic services fee of $1,975 is already incorporated into all direct cremation and package pricing.
Do I have to use the funeral home's urn?
No. You are never required to purchase an urn from the funeral home. Every package includes a basic polymer urn at no additional cost, but you may supply your own urn or purchase one elsewhere. The funeral home is required to use it without charging a handling fee.
What should I do if I think a funeral home has violated the FTC Funeral Rule?
Violations of the FTC Funeral Rule can be reported directly to the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP. In Florida, you can also file a complaint with the Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services, which regulates funeral homes at the state level.
